Switch construction



, Nov. 11. 1924.

W. F. HESSEL- SWITCH CONSTRUCTI ON Filed Feb. 15, 1919 l b mamas /a x 6a 1 6 Patented N... 11.1924.

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Application filed February 15, 1919. Serial No. 277,144.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. Hnssnn, a citizenof the United States,residinYg in the county, city, and State of New ork, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Switch Constructions, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a multiple tap switch device, and hasfor its object to provide a device of this character which embodiesnovel features of construction whereby alarge number of branch circuitscan be connected to the main feed wires in a convenient, safe andexpeditious manner.

The subject-matter of this application relates more particularly to theconstruction of the multiple attachment plug, and further objects of theinvention are to provide a device of this character in which all of theconducting members are effectively housed and insulated so that thedevice can be handled and manipulated with perfect safety, whichprovides a. substantial and advantage in connection with portablemulmultiple attachment invention, in which tiple tap devices which arenow extensively used in the shipbuilding industry and manufacturinglants, and which must necessarily-be a le to withstand a large amount ofrough handling.

This application is in part a continuation of a prior application for anelectrical switch device, Serial No. 185,026, which was filed by me onAugust 8, 1917, and which culminated March 11, 1919, in Patent No.1,296,801, the construction of the multiple tap base being claimed inthe prior application, while the purpose of the present application isto protect thii. construction of the In the accompanyi iig drawings, Ihave illustrated by way of-examplecertain preferred embodiments of theprinciples of my Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portable multipletap switch device constructed in accordance with the inventions,portions being broken away to show the interior of the base, and oneplug being shown as applied to the base, while a second plug is showndetached, therefrom.

Figure 2 is 'a sectional view through one of the plugs. Y L

Figure 3 is a, similar view showing a modification and also showing asheet metal protective housing as applied to the base parallel bus bars1 which are provided at corresponding intervals throughout their.

length with transverse openings 2, said bus bars being housed within anelongated insulating body which is divided longitudinally into twocomplemental sections 3 and 4. An insulating block or base may be formedof any suitable insulating material such as hard rubber, substitutecomposition, or wood. Of the latter material I have found maple to behighly suitable for the purpose. The sections 3 and 4 of the base blockare grooved to receive the bus bars in such a manner as toentirelysurround and insulate the same, and the sections are fastened togetherby suitable fastening members such as the screws 5. The upper section 3of the base block is formed with vertical openings 6 which extend down.-wardly to the openings 2 of the bus barsand 7 is. secured by fasteningmembers such as the screws 8 to one end of the base block, the innerface of the end block being resaid wires extending through openings inare in alinement therewith. An end block I cessed to receive theextremities of the bus the end block. The insulating end block 7 andsections 3and 4 of the base block pro vide a portable insulating basewhich is substantially rectangular in formation and has a flat lowerface which will hold the base in an upright position at all times. Theconducting members are efl'ectivel housed and insulated at all points,so t at it is practically impossible for an exterior ob ject to bebrought into contact therewith, and the base has a rugged andsubstantial construction which will enableit to with stand roughhandling. The device is thus well adapted for use in shipyards andmanufacturing plants where a portable device of this character which issafe and substanin position therein.

xtially foolproof in its construction and will withstand a'large amountof rough handling is desired.

The detachable plug which is illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 includes anelongated insulating body which is divided transverse-- 1 into a lowersection 11 and an upper sect1on.12, the two sectidns being normallyfastened together by means of a fastening member such as a screw 13which extends upwardly through the lower section 11 and engagesathreaded socket 14 in the upper sec tion 12. The members 11 and 12 maybe formed of any tough insulating material, such as that utilized in theconstruction of the base, and a pair of parallel conducting rods 15 and16 extend through the lowersection 11 of the plug, being firmly anchoredThe lower ends of these rods extend below the base of the plug and aresplit at 17, thereby providing spaced split arms which are adapted to bemserted into any selected pair of openings 6 of the base and broughtinto engagement with the corresponding openings 2 of the bus bars 1. Therod 15 is comparatively short and terminates at its upper end in a clip18 adapted for engagement with one end of an ordinary cartridge fuse 19.This fuse is housed within a recess 20 which opens through the open endof the lower plug section 11, and the upper end of the fuse 19 extendsslightly above the upper end of the plug section 11. The otherconducting rod 16 extends upwardly through the lower plug section 11,extending slightly beyqnd the same, and being split at 21.

The upper plug section 12 is formed with longitudinal openings receivingstems 22 which project downwardly from wire engaging sockets 23, saidsockets being housed within recesses formed in the upper end of theplug, and being provided with clamping screws 24 for engagement with thebranch circuit wires 25. The lower ends of the stems 22 are threaded andengage respectively the-socket members 26 and 27. The ends of thesesockets project slightly beyond the lower end of the upper plug section12 and are exteriorly roughened at 28 so that they can be firmly graspedfor screwing them into or out of engagement with the threaded ends ofthe conductor stems 22. When these sockets are screwed into engagementwith the conductor stems, it will be obvious that they will cooperatewith the upper sockets 23 to clamp thestems 22 in position and therebylock the upper sockets 23 firmly in the recessed upper end of theinsulating plug' Tension on the branch wires will thus not be able topull the upper sogkets 23 away from the insulation, and the said socketswill remain at all times housed within and protected by the insulationso that it is not possible for them to be brought into contacttightening or loosening the same.

tion, and the large socket 26 is adapted to engage the upper end of thefuse 19 and the small socket 27 to engage the upper end of theconducting. rod 16 when the two sections of the plug are fastenedtogether in operative position. When the parts are thus assembled all ofthe metal conducting portions are completely housed within theinsulating body so that there is no danger of accident, although thesplit conducting arms projecting from the lower end of the plug can bereadily'inserted into any selected pair of the openings'of the multipletap base. If desired, the end, of the plug may be provided with an eye29 to which the branch wires can be connected bv a cord 30, therebyrelieving, the strain upon the parts of the plug when there is a pullexerted upon the plug by tension in the wires.

A modification is shown by which the two sections 11 and 12 of the plugbody are secured together by a screw 13 which passes downwardly throughthe top of the upper section 12*. The two conducting rods 15 and 16extend entirely through the lower section 11, the upper ends thereofbeing recessed and split to receive the ends of the wires'25. Thesesplit upper ends of the rods 15 and 16 are tapered and exteriorlythreaded to receive tapered clamping sleeves 31 which are screwedthereon. By removing the screw 13 the upper plug section 12 can be movedrearwardly upon the wires 25 so thataccess can be obtained to theclamping sleeves 31 for These clamping sleeves enable the ends of thewires to be securely fastened within the ends of the conducting rods 15"and 16", and when the'two sections of the plug are assembled theclamping screws are entirely housed within recessed portions 32 of theplug section-12 A further modification is shown by F igure 4, in whichthe lug body is divided transversely into three superposed sections 33,34 and 35, the intermediate'section 34 being secured to the lowersection 33 by a screw 36, while the'uppersection 35 is inturn secured tothe intermediate section 34 Figure 3, in

by means of a screw 37; Conducting rods 15 and.16 extend through thelower section 33, both of the rods projecting downwardly below the lowersection to provide the necessary arms for engagement with the multipletap base, while the long arm 15 also extends through the intermediatesection 34, projecting beyond the same into the upper section 35. Theshort rod 16 terminates in a 'clip 38 adapted to engage the lower end ofa fuse cartridge '39, the upper end of the cartridge being engaged by aclip 40 at the lower end of a stem 41 which extends through theintermediate plug section 34. Clamping nuts or sleeves 42 are threadedupon the upper ends of the stem 41 and rod 15 for the purpose ofconnecting the circuit wires 25 thereto, said clamping nuts 42 beingentirely housed within recesses or openings 43 in the upper plu section35, so that there are no umnsulate metal portions exposed when the plugis assembled and operatively applied to the multiple tap base.

In order to increase the ruggedness of the device the part may beenclosed wit in a sheet metal housing 44, as indicated by Figure 3. Sucha sheet metal covering would enable the device to withstand greateraccidental abuse and would be particularly desirable when insulation ofbrittle or easily destructible material is used.

While I have illustrated in the aocom panying drawings preferredembodiments of the principles of my invention I have done so in anillustrative rather than definite sense, and I therefore desire to coverby the appended claims thosedprinciples in what ever form they may finembodiment.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is y 1". A switch plug including an insulatingbody divided transversely into complemental sections which abut againsteach other, means for detachably fastening the sections together, aconductor rod extending through one section and projecting from the endthereof to provide an arm for engaginga base, a corresponding stemextending thro h the other section and having an enlarge wire engagingsocket at the outer end thereof, and a slip joint connection between therod and the stem, said slip joint including an inner socket threaded tothe stem and cooperating therewith to anchor the outer wire engagingsocket upon theplug section,

said soc et bemg provi surfaceextendin beyond said other section so asto be readily accessible when said sections are separated.

2. A switch plug including an insulating body which is ivi edtransversely into complemental sections which abut end to end againsteach other, means interior to the said sections for detachably securithe same together, a conductor-rod exteii ling through one section andprojecting from the outer ed with a roughened end thereofto provide anarm for enga ing a base, a corresponding stem exten ing throu h theother section of the body and provi ed at'its outer end with a wireengagsocket, and an inner split socket deta aby associated with theinner end of the stem and cooperating therewith 'to engage the saidother section and anchor the outer wire engagingsocket in position uponthe said section of the body, said inner split socket having a slip ointconnection with the rod. 4

3. A'switch plug including an insulating body which is divided lon'tudinally into complemental sections, san sections abutting end to endagainst each other and being interiorly recessed to receive a fuse whichis accessible when the sections are separated, means for detachablyfastening the sections together, a pair of conductor rods interior toone of the sections and projecting beyond the end thereof to providearms for attachment to a base, a pair of corresponding stems extendingthrough the other section of the body and provided at their outer endswith wire attaching means, and means for establishing electricalconnection between the corresponding rods and the stems and includingthe fuse in the circuit.

4. A switch plug including an insulating body divided transversely intoseparable sections, a pair of longitudmal conductor rods extendingthrough one section and projecting from the end thereof to providespaced arms adapted to engage a base, one of the rods also projectingfrom the other end of the section while the other rod terminates withinthe section in fuse engaging means,

stems corresp nding to the conductor rods and extending through theothersection of the body, the outer ends of the stems bein provided with wireLattaching means, an sockets detachably ap lied to the inner ends of thestem and em dded in the section, one of the s ckets being adapted toenga e the projecting end of the conductor b y while the other socket isadapted to engage the other end of the fuse when the two sections areassembled.

5. A switch plug including an insulating body divided transversely intosections, a pair of conductor rods extending longitudinally through oneof the sections and projecting from the free end thereof to providespaced arms for engagement with a base, one of the rods also projectingfrom the other end-of the section while the other rod terminates withinthe section in a fuse engaging clip. stems corresponding to the rods andextending through the other section of the body, wire engaging socketsat the outer ends of the stems, and inner sockets detachably applied tothe inner ends of the stems and serving to hold the wire engagingsockets. in position, me of the inner sockets being adapted to engagethe projecting end of the conductor vrod while the other inner socket isadapted to engage the fuse when the sections are assembled.

' WILLIAM F. HESSEL.

